Of Pulpits And Partisan Politics: Public Calls For Separation

A new poll shows, once again, that most Americans don’t like politics in the pulpit.

Sixty-two percent of the 1,000 adults surveyed said political candidates shouldn’t campaign at religious services. People “don’t want to see a sermon or something presented as a sermon by a presidential candidate,” says Scott Rasmussen, whose research group Rasmussen Reports, co-sponsored the poll with the Washington Times.  

An even greater percentage, 70 percent, said they don’t want religious leaders to “suggest” whom to vote for.  I think it’s fair to say that people just want to hear a sermon when they go their houses of worship.

The law is clear that religious leaders can’t tell parishioners whom to vote for and candidates can’t hold political rallies at church services, but both continue to be a problem. Politicians and preachers need to sit up and take notice. The American people don’t want politicized pulpits.

The poll also revealed an interesting tidbit about how a religious leader’s endorsement affects the public’s opinion of the chosen candidate. We’ve seen a number of Religious Right leaders line up behind different presidential candidates lately, but none has had a significant impact on the candidate’s popularity – until last week, that is, when TV preacher Pat Robertson endorsed Rudy Giuliani.

Giuliani probably thought he had the “values vote” in the bag with Robertson’s endorsement, but he may have actually lost ground. Twenty-nine percent of the 1,000 adults surveyed say they’re actually less likely to vote for Giuliani after the televangelist’s blessing. Only 6 percent said Robertson’s OK made them more likely to support the former New York City mayor. 

According to the Times article, feelings about the Robertson endorsement were consistent across all demographic categories such as age, party affiliation and income.

Many political analysts have questioned the wisdom of Giuliani’s acceptance of an endorsement from a man who heartily agreed with the late Jerry Falwell that New York City “deserved” to be attacked on September 11, 2001. (That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Robertson has said plenty I wouldn’t want to be associated with if I were running for president.)

I hope this poll sends a message to religious leaders and candidates that their constituents don’t appreciate politics in the pulpit. I also hope it gives folks in the pews the courage to speak out against the practice. The data clearly show that you are not alone.

By Lauren Smith